Power boats to make stops in Oriental, New Bern for fundraiser

Published: Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 06:42 PM.

“Most people may not be aware that Eastern North Carolina has two recent world record holders in the power boat world,” he said.

McCann in the “Scream Machine,” with Chris Bowers on the throttles, just set the record of 134 mph in their class at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

Brown, from nearby Washington, is also the man who built the monster motors that set this record.

Kurt Gaskill, also from Morehead City, set the world record in his class with a Fountain Powerboat.

“Needless to say, I don’t think anyone will be disappointed if they show up on the waterfront Saturday,” he said. “They’ll see some beautiful boats, with plenty of power and more than enough speed to satisfy.”

According to its web site, Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba was established in 2007 and is based at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

In 2013, SUDS scuba class was offered for the first time to the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Poker Runs have become a popular fundraising vehicle for worthwhile causes, such as Saturday morning’s Elks’ event, beginning at the Harley-Davidson dealership on U.S. 70. It benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

Poker Run events include a sight-seeing tour and a chance to pick up a winning hand, with a card distributed at selected stops. They usually culminate with food and fellowship.

But, as Capt. Terry Buck Sr. of Morehead City points out, Poker Runs are not limited to motorcycles. Transportation modes can include automobiles, boats and even airplanes.

Buck will be one of more than a dozen power boat drivers in Saturday’s second annual Lookout Shootout Poker Run, which includes a 100-mile boat ride with stops in Morehead City, Oriental, New Bern and Beaufort.

That event is the work of Jeff McCann, owner of Jack’s Waterfront Bar in Morehead City, and the proceeds recipient is SUDS —Soldier’s Undertaking Disabled Scuba. It is a nonprofit that helps severely injured service members get involved in the fun and challenging sport of scuba diving — promoting rehabilitation and mobility.

Buck said the event will feature more than a dozen power boats. They will leave Morehead City at 10 a.m., with a stop at the Oriental Marina around 11 a.m. and then a noon lunch in New Bern.

He said the bigger boats are especially impressive, including several competition champions.

“Most people may not be aware that Eastern North Carolina has two recent world record holders in the power boat world,” he said.

McCann in the “Scream Machine,” with Chris Bowers on the throttles, just set the record of 134 mph in their class at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

Brown, from nearby Washington, is also the man who built the monster motors that set this record.

Kurt Gaskill, also from Morehead City, set the world record in his class with a Fountain Powerboat.

“Needless to say, I don’t think anyone will be disappointed if they show up on the waterfront Saturday,” he said. “They’ll see some beautiful boats, with plenty of power and more than enough speed to satisfy.”

According to its web site, Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba was established in 2007 and is based at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

In 2013, SUDS scuba class was offered for the first time to the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

It is designed to help improve the lives of injured service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The scuba training offered to service members is a challenging and rewarding activity that can help facilitate the rehabilitation process and offer them an activity they can enjoy for years to come, according to the web site.

The program is part of the Wounded Warrior Project that caters to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and their transition to civilian life.

In the past, there have been SUDS activities on the N.C. coast. In 2009, four soldiers boarded a dive boat at Olympus Diving and later dove on a sunken submarine 30 miles off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

On the web: sudsdiving.org

Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or Charlie.hall@newbernsj.com